赤く: Red
by someone twice
Summary: Uesugi Chikage is the daughter of two extremely wealthy scientists. It is no secret that many are envious of the Uesugis, and the Zoldycks are hired to kill the family of three. Sixteen year-old Killua is sent to do the job. He successfully murders Chikage's parents without hesitation, but what about her?
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

* * *

While it is true that I prefer to spend my copious amounts of time inside, I thoroughly understand that humans are quite gluttonous creatures. I have fully witnessed the effects of greed, and its warped tendencies, in and outside of my own home. Of course, I cannot deny that I have been selfish many times before, but I have never let it affect me the way my parents did them.

My parents were extremely intelligent scientists, well-known in the industry. Their labor was always fruitful, and they were able to find cures for many epidemic diseases. Because of this, they became very wealthy, and many people were jealous of this. Though, no one could deny their nobleness; the husband and wife team, Keiichi and Sayomi Uesugi.

And, somehow amongst their constantly growing piles of work, they had a child by the name of Chikage. That was me, their daughter. When the news got around that Keiichi and Sayomi had a child, many were excited. I was expected to follow in their footsteps and become an amazing scientist, intuitive and clever, a natural result of my parents' teachings.

However, I had other ideas.

From the beginning, I never had an interest in science. My parents did everything they could to spark some attraction in me, but nothing seemed to work. They hired tutors and teachers, but their efforts were also fruitless. _Everyone_ was disappointed, including my parents.

Because of my rejection to their beloved art, my parents lost their interest in me. They focused on their work 24/7, and hired caretakers to look after me. That was no problem with their increasing wealth. As their fame rose and they were considered some of the most important people on the planet, it was painfully obvious that many, many people wanted to take them out.

The first assailants showed up at our door when I was ten. Thanks to our two only body guards, the crisis was averted, but, naturally, this frightened my parents to a great extent. They hired more protectors for themselves, and only one for me by the name of Tatsuya.

I can't say that Tatsuya and I were _friends_, but I grew to like him very much. He was a tall and burly man, married with two kids. His voice was of a low tone that I had never heard before, and he rarely spoke, but when he did, it was to either scold me or tell me stories so I'd shut up and sleep. He was more of a caretaker than my actual caretakers were.

The worst year for my parents and I was when another epidemic had struck. They worked day and night alongside other scientists to find a cure for the disease. That year, I only saw them thirteen times.

One night during that year, while I was having a rather sleepless night (a regularity for me), I heard many noises throughout the house, getting louder and louder. I snuck out to Tatsuya's bedroom and woke him up, telling him there was definitely someone in the house.

Tatsuya instructed me to return to my room, and that he would wake some of the other bodyguards to take care of it.

That was the last time I would see him.

Although they successfully annihilated the attacker, Tatsuya and two other bodyguards were murdered. My parents responded to this by simply hiring new ones, replacing Tatsuya with a man whose name I can't even remember. That was when something inside of me had finally snapped, after years of strain.

I separated myself from my parents even more. On the days when they returned home, I would not greet them or see them at all.

Then, on the day of my sixteenth birthday, it happened.

There was an extravagant party held for me, to which my parents actually attended. Many guests had shown, most friends of my parents and people I had never even seen before. I was not a normal teenager, of course. I had no friends. I lived in my house with my caretakers, and I knew nothing except that my parents didn't care at all about me. It was expected that, even though we rejected each other, a celebration was held for this occasion. I considered it another one of my parents' parties, and I was just there because I had to be.

When the party was winding down, I excused myself, much to my parents' disagreement. Taking a bath would surely rid me of the pious filth I had been told throughout the night.

As I was comfortably relaxing in the warm water, I heard screeches and screams erupting from downstairs.

_It's another assailant,_ I thought, _The bodyguards will promptly take care of it._

I was uneasy, but I didn't move. The screaming continued, and I pulled my knees to my chest.

_The bodyguards will take care of it. It would be better if you didn't move._

More screaming.

_The bodyguards will take care of it. Don't move._

No noise at all.

No noise at all scared me more than anything, and I quickly got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around myself. Before I could open the door, someone opened it for me.

It was a boy, seemingly the same age as I, covered in blood. His hair was an alabaster color, a bright silver which contrasted the dark crimson stains. His azure eyes were completely soulless, but the light quickly returned as he realized what he was looking at. He jumped back, holding his red-covered hands in front of his face, blocking me from his view. I held my towel with such a tight grip, I was afraid my fingers would lose circulation.

"Who are you?" I firmly asked, standing my ground. I had seen plenty of these kinds of people. The fact that it was someone my age angered me more, and the fact that he was getting flustered over _this_ and completely forgetting his 'job' made me absolutely livid.

The lack of bodyguards, or anyone, for that matter, had already slipped my mind.

The boy moved his hands from his eyes, and we made eye contact. His cheeks were bright pink, and even his ears were rosy.

Before I could repeat my question, he disappeared, leaving no traces except for the bloody bodies downstairs.

I would later figure out that the boy who killed my parents was none other than Killua Zoldyck, a member of the elite family of assassins. I was correct about our ages; we were both sixteen.

I decided to seek out this Killua Zoldyck. The reason was still unknown, but it seemed like a good start. He had no problem killing my family and all of those people, so why couldn't he kill me?

* * *

******赤く: Red**


	2. One

**One**

* * *

**千景 Chikage**

The Zoldycks' residence location is no secret. The gate to the estate is even a tourist attraction, which, in my eyes, is rather confusing. Though, regardless, I will never be able to touch the grass surrounding their mansion, let alone Killua Zoldyck.

They say to open the gate, you must open all seven doors.

_Opening doors has never been a problem for me_, I jokingly think, _Well, at least, not for my parents._

I step closer to the gate, much to the disapproval of the tour guide.

"No touching the gate, please, m'am," she advises, a plastic, rehearsed smile on her face. I wave at her like she was one of my old maids. She raises her nose and stomps away.

Examining the stone, I know that I would never be able to move the first door, let alone all seven.

_Each door weighs two times more than the last. And if the first one weighs four tons, that means, in total... The seventh door weighs 256 tons. Altogether, I would be moving..._

I move my fingers around and add up the numbers.

_...508 tons!?_

I laugh to myself.

_I will never be able to open this gate. There has to be another way to find Killua Zoldyck._

_But if he's not at his house, where else would he be?_

I almost stop breathing as I realize an important factor in all of this.

_Incendie is four days from here, by airship. He traveled four days to come and murder my parents and I!? There's a large possibility that it could've been longer. He could be anywhere right now._

I glance down at my hands. No callouses, nothing. Pure infant-like hands. I've been sitting on a throne for my whole life, if that. Compared to others of a lower class than I, I've had everything served to me on a silver platter. Something with such untainted hands would _never_ find Killua Zoldyck, a born assassin, on their own.

Amongst my pondering, I turn around to check the tour bus. The last thing I want is to be stranded here through the night. This is the only bus.

It's not there.

Panic has immediately taken over my body, and I frantically look around. The bus isn't there. _The bus is not there._ There isn't a soul around. I am completely alone.

The only thing that separates me from death is a Testing Gate, and if I am up against an elite family of assassins, that isn't much.

The afternoon sky is ablaze with streaks of gold and caramel. The sun is slowly leaving, and I can see the particles of dirt floating in the still air. I look at the gate again. It almost beckons me, and I get shivers just thinking about what is behind it.

I notice to my right is the security office. The security guard, an old man dozing off, seems harmless enough. I tread over and knock on the door, and slowly, he awakes and answers it.

"Er, you see, I accidentally missed the tour bus, and since that's the only one... Uh, well, where exactly should I go?" I nervously ask, barely making any eye contact. I've had few exchanges with strangers like this, and the knowledge that he works for the Zoldycks is pressing on my mind.

"That sure is a troubling predicament... That tour bus doesn't return until tomorrow. You'll be stuck here for the time being," the guard says, scratching the back of his head.

"There's no where I can stay? There's no place nearby or _anything__?_"

The guard shakes his head, "I'm afraid not."

"...Shi— Shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot," I mumble, refraining from swearing. This is not something I am used to. This is horrendous.

"May I ask, miss... Why did you come to visit the gate today?" the guard asks, seemingly examining my face. I'm a little taken aback by such a question, finding it odd that he would ask that.

I figure I should tell a vague truth than an exaggerated lie.

"The notorious Zoldyck family lives beyond this gate, correct? I thought it would be nice to see it, as many locals seem to be speaking of it," I say, looking up at the two dragon statues adorning the stone, glaring down at us.

"So you aren't from around here?"

"No. I live in a city that's a few days from here."

_Best not to name it... _I think, zipping up my jacket. The wind is starting to get chilly, interestingly enough.

The guard nods his head, still with a slight smile. It makes me uneasy. I can't tell what he's thinking at all.

"So, why did you decide to specifically come to the Dentora region, in all of Padokea?"

I pause, realizing he might have figured out my lie.

"My grandmother lives here," I say, shoving my hands into my pockets, "And I'm paying her a visit."

"How nice," he simply says. It becomes too quiet for comfort, but I have nothing left to say.

_This has all gotten a bit silly. Do I sleep in a tree? Is this what I have been reduced to? _I think, crossing my arms.

"Are you sure there isn't a place that I can stay? No lodge, cabin, anything?"

"There is a lodge where I stay, but I'm afraid that's inside the gate, and I cannot allow you to enter."

"And why not?"

"You could be a threat to the family, miss."

I roll my eyes, "As if."

He keeps that same, nonchalant smile on his face, and I sigh.

"Fine, fine. I'll just find a tree or something to lounge in. Not likely that I'll be getting any sleep, though."

"I apologize, miss."

I wave him off, and walk away, looking around. There's a few trees, but none seem to be easy to get into. One thing is certain... _None_ of this will be easy.


End file.
